Palestinian activists disavow Israeli musician Atzmon

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A group of Palestinian activists, including some who reject the notion of Jewish statehood, have disavowed associating with Gilad Atzmon, an Israeli musician who is seen as anti-Semitic.

"We reaffirm that there is no room in this historic and foundational analysis of our struggle for any attacks on our Jewish allies, Jews, or Judaism; nor denying the Holocaust; nor allying in any way shape or form with any conspiracy theories, far-right, orientalist, and racist arguments, associations and entities," said the statement, which appears on the Electronic Intifada website. "Challenging Zionism, including the illegitimate power of institutions that support the oppression of Palestinians, and the illegitimate use of Jewish identities to protect and legitimize oppression, must never become an attack on Jewish identities, nor the demeaning and denial of Jewish histories in all their diversity."

The signatories include EI’s founder, Ali Abunimah, who is an anti-Zionist, and Joseph Massad, a Columbia University professor who has clashed with pro-Israel students in his classes.

Atzmon in his writings has likened Jewish writings on the Holocaust to a "religion" and has suggested that anti-Semitic stereotypes arise out of Jewish behavior.

His works garnered attention last year when his book "The Wandering Who?" was endorsed by John Mearsheimer, the Chicago University professor who co-wrote a book on the power of the pro-Israel lobby.

Ron Kampeas Ron Kampeas is JTA's Washington Bureau Chief. He worked previously at The Associated Press, where he spent more than a decade in its bureaus in Jerusalem, New York, London and, most recently, Washington. He has reported from Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Bosnia and West Africa. While living in Israel, he also worked for the Jerusalem Post.